Clutch.



Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

S. l. PRESCOTT.

C'LUTCH.

APPLICATION-FILED Nov.17.1916.

SYDNEY I. Pnnsoorr, or :anw YORK, N. Y.

CLUTCH.

Specification olf Letters Eatent.

Patented Aug. 6', 1918.

Application filed November 17, 191B. Serial'No. 131,840.

rable structure for the purposes intended.

which will be free from the harsh action in clutching inherent in manyconstructions heretofore known. With these and other objects notspecifically mentioned in view,

`the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations whichwill be here-v inafter fully described and then specifically set forthin the claims hereunto appended.

ln the accompanying drawings, which forni a part of this specificationand in which like characters of reference indicate the same or likeparts, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a device constructed inaccordance with the invention and of the cone type; Fig. 2 is across-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, and partly brokenaway; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a modification of the structureshown in Figs. 1 and 2, and of the plate type.

In carrying the invention into effect there .is provided a drivingmember, a driven member, power transmitting means loosely mountedbetween and adapted for frictional engagement with both of said members,and actuating or clutching and declutching means. In the bestconstructions, the power transmitting means is supported by one of themembers and the actuating means is cooperative with the other member. Inthe best constructions also, the power transmitting. means is providedwith operating surfaces of material having a high coefficient offriction. In the best constructions also, the driving and driven membersare both circular in form and the power transmitting means is annulariii form and is circuinferentially movable with respect thereto exceptwhen the members are fully engaged. ln the best constructions also, thepower transmitting means is expansible, so that as wear occurs the saidmeans will automatically adjust itself to the changed conditions. In thebest constructions also, the device is so constructed that an oil pocketis formed in which the power transmitting means' works, the operatingsurface of said means being constructed of a material lthe frictioncoefficient of which is but slightly affected by oil, although the wearis materially reduced by its use. All of the above elements may bevaried in construction within wide limits. The particular deviceselected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possibleconcrete embodiments of the same. The invention therefore is not to berestricted to the precise detailsof the structure illustrated anddescribed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a motor crankshaft provided withan integral flange 2 to which is secured, by means of bolts 3, afiywheel 4. Secured to the flywheel 4, by means of bolts 5, is a drivingring 6 having a female conical driving surface 7 and an inturned flange8, the inner face of which forms an annular abutment at 9. The flywheel4 is shaped to form an abutment 10 which coperates with the'abutment 9to confine against longitudinal movement an annular ring 11, which ringis split at 12 to make it expansible. The ring 11 is studded in a wellknown manner by cork inserts 13 which project beyond both the inner andouter peripheries -of the ring 11. The inner surfaces of the corkinserts 13 are normally in engagement with a male'conical driven member14 which is formed integrally with a web 15 having a hub 16, the hub 16being splined in a well known manner to a transmission shaft 17. -Thistransmission shaft has an axial bore 18 in one of its ends and isthereby piloted Aon a tail shaft 19 formed integrally with andprojecting rearwardly from the crankshaft fiange 2. The tail shaft 19 isprovided with an axial aperture 20 and the transmission shaft 17 isprovided with a similar axial aperture 21. Through these apertures oilmay be forced by the motor oiling devices to the clutch and beyond tothe transmission gearing, not shown. Seated against the web 15 is acoiled spring 22, one end of which bears against the fiange 23 of thesleeve 24 which sleeve surrounds the hub 16, pilots the spring 22, andserves as a stop to limit declutching movement of the web 15. rThefiange 23 bears against a ball thrust bearing indicated at 25, thethrust bearing in yturn bearing against the crankshaft fiange 2.

The ring 11 is made of a diameter, and the cork inserts are sopositioned therein that the latter are always in frictional engagementwith the surface 7 of the driving ring and are slightly compressed bysuch engagement, so that there will be no rattle and no eccentricdisplacement of the ring when the clutch is disengaged. 1While thisfrictional engagement is sufficient to cause the power transmittingmeans to rotate with the flywheel without slippage when the clutch isdisengaged, it is not sufficient to transmit the full power of the motorwhen the clutch is'engaged. `When the male cone 14 is brought intocontact with the inner surfaces of the cork inserts during the clutchingoperation, the pressure upon the cork inserts in increased and thefrictional engagement of the outer surfaces of the cork inserts with thedriving surface 7 of the ring 6 is correspondingly increased. At firstcontact, however, a slippage will occur between the male cone let andthe inner surfaces of the cork inserts, particularly when there is apocket of oil around the inner periphery of the flywheel, held there bythe driving ring flange 8. The cork inserts may be long enough toprevent actual contact of the outer and inner surfaces of the ring llwith the driving surface 7 and the surface of the driven member la whenthe 'parts are in full engagement, but even when such is not the caseoil will dow in between the surfaces when the partsv disengaged, theflange 8 being deep enough to insure the presence of a thin ring of oilWithin the an- .nular oil pocket formed by the inner periphery of theflywheel and driving ring 6 out beyond the flange 8. Avery smallquantity of oil is sufficient for a run of thousands of miles for thereason that there is no slip and consequently no need for oil exceptwhen clutching As engagement progresses, the pressure upon the innersurfaces of the cork inserts becomes equal to that upon the outersurfaces in engagement with the driving surface 7 of the driving ring 6;and when this occurs the male cone 14- may continue to slip, or the ringl1 may slip, or both, and this slippage will continue until the clutchis fully engaged, it being of course understood that the thrust of thespring 22 is sufficient to prevent slippage under full power and fullclutch engagement. Engagement without shock is thus edected.vDeclutching is effected by mechanism bearing upon the'web l5 close tothe transmission shaft 17 and acting to move said web toward the flange2 against the action of the spring 22, and this mechanism may be of anyof the well known types. Its particular construction lies` whollyoutside of the present invention, and description and illustrationthereof is therefore omitted in the interest of brevity and clearness.

'ln the modification illustrated in Fig.. 3,

there is provided a iywheel 26 to which is secured, by means of bolts27, a plate 28, which forms a driving member. The iiywheel counter-boredat 29 and in this counter-bore is located the flange 30 of a plate 31,this plate being studded with cork inserts 32 and forming powertransmission means. Bearing against the cork inserts 32 is a plate 33forming a driven member and provided with'a hub 34 splined upon thetransmission shaft 17. The d `ven member or plate 33 is held against tlfcork inserts by means of a' spring 35, the flanged sleeve 24, and ballthrust bearing Q5, as in the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Theoperation of this form of the invention will be readily understood inView of the ex planation hereinbefore given of the operation of thestructure shown in Figs. l and 2..

lVhat is claimed is :l

1. ln a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and frictional power transmitting means seated in and confinedby one of said members in constant contact with its operating surfaceand lo cated between and circumferentially movable with respect to bothof said surfaces.

'2. in a clutch, the combination with a 95 driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and frictional power transmitting means wholly supported byone of said members and seated and con- 100 fined therein in constantcontact with its operating surface and located between andcircumferentially movablewith respect to both of said surfaces.

3. ln a clutch, the combination 'with a )L05 driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and frictional power transmitting means wholly supported bysaid driving member and seated 1w in and confined thereby in constantcontact with its operating surface and located between andcircumferentially movable with 4respect to both of said surfaces.

4. In a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and frictional power transmitting means seated in and confinedby one of said members in constant contact with its operating surfaceand located between and circumferentially mov able with respect to bothof said surfaces, said lpower transmitting means being provided withoperating surfaces of material 125. having a high co-eflicient offriction.

5. In a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted co-A ordinatedoperating surfaces, and cork navarra studded power transmitting meansbetween and circumierentially movable with respect to said members, thecorks being in constant engagement with the driving member.

6. ln a clutch, the combination with a circular driving member, of acircular driven member, both of said members liaving uninterruptedcoordinated operating surfaces, and frictional power transmitting meanswholly supported by one of said members and seated and confined thereinin constant contact with its operating surface and located between andcircumferen tially movable with respect to bota of said surfaces.

7. ln a clutch, the combination with a circular driiing member, of acircular driven member, both of said members having uninterruptedcoordinated operating surfaces, and a split annular rictional powertransmitting ring seated in and conned by one or' said members inconstant contact with its operating surface and located between andcircumierentially movable with respect to both of said surfaces.

8. ln a clutch, the combination with a conical driving member, oi aconical driven member, both of said members having uninterruptedcordinated operating surfaces, and rictional power transmitting meansseated in and confined by one of said members in constant contact withits operating surface and located between and circumferentially movablewith respect to both of said surfaces.

9, ln a clutch, the combination with a female conical driving member, ofa male conical driven member, both of said members having uninterruptedcoordinated Operating surfaces, and frictional powerl transmitting meansseated in and confined by one of said members in constant contact withits operating surface and locatedbetween and circumferentially movablewith respect to both oi said surfaces.

10.v ln a clutch, the combination with a fly wheel, of an annular femaleconical driving member carried thereby, a male conical driven member,both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and a split annular conical expansible power transmitting ringbetween and circumferentially movable with respect to said members. y

11. ln a clutch., the combination with a circular driving member, ofacirculard-riven member, and expansible power transmitting means looselymounted and circumferen tially movable between and adapted forfrictions] engagement with both said members one of said members beingarranged to prevent longitudinal movement of said means.

12. In a clutch, the combination with a driving member', of a drivenmember, and expansible power transmitting means loosely mounted betweenand adapted for frictional engagement with both said members said meansbeing circumferentially movable with respect to both said members whenout ot' engagement.

13, In a clutch, the combination with a flywheel, of an annular femaleconical driving member carried thereby said member being arranged toform an oil pocket, a male conical driven member, and a split annularconical expansible power transmitting ring mounted within the oilpocketand between and circumferentially movable with respect to saidmemberso 14:. ln a clutch, the combination with a flywheel, of a drivingring bolted to the ilywheel and having a conical driving surface, aconical driven member, and a split annular expansible power transmittingring pro- U vided with cork inserts and mounted between andcircinnerentially movable with respect to said lmembers,the corks beingin constant engagement with the driving surface.

1 5. ln a clutch, the combination with a driving member, oit a drivenmember, one of said members being arranged to form an oil pocket, andboth ot said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and trictional power transmitting means mounted within the oilpocket and between and circumterentially movable with respect to saidmemberso 16.. Ina clutch, thecombination with a driving member, of adriven member,both of said members having uninterrupted coordinatedoperating surfaces, and a single trictional power transmitting deviceseated in and confined by one of ysaid members in constant contact withits operating surface and located between and circumferentially movablewith respect to both of said surfaces, said power transmitting devicebeing provided with 0perating surfaces ot material `having a highco-eliicient of friction.

17. ln a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, and a single cork studded lpower transmitting device between andcircumterentially movable with respect to saidv members, the corks beingalways slightly compressed by constant engagement with one of saidmembers.

18. ln a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, and a single cork studded power transmitting device between andcircumferentially movable with respect to said members, the corks beingalways slightly compressed by constant engagement with the drivingmember.,

19. In a clutch, the combination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, both of said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and a single rictional power transmitting device seated ldd inand confined by one of said members in constant Contact with itsoperating surface and located between and circumferentially movable withrespect to both of said surfaces.

20. In a clutch, thecombination with a driving member, of a drivenmember, both 0f said members having uninterrupted coordinated operatingsurfaces, and a single frietional power transmitting device Whollysupported by said driving member and seated in and conlned thereby inconstant contact with its operating surface and located between andcireumferentially movable with respect to both of said surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

SYDNEY I. PRESCOTT.

